MORE than 1.5 million cigarettes have been found hidden in a trailer at Ipswich docks.Customs officers made the discovery on April 4 when they examined a trailer which had arrived unaccompanied on a ferry from Ostend in Belgium.

MORE than 1.5 million cigarettes have been found hidden in a trailer at Ipswich docks.

Customs officers made the discovery on April 4 when they examined a trailer which had arrived unaccompanied on a ferry from Ostend in Belgium.

The trailer contained 24 pallets, each with 50 of more wooden panels, banded by metal tape.

Sixty individual packets of Embassy Regal cigarettes were concealed in each of these panels.

The estimated revenue of the tobacco haul is over £250,000.

John Barber, customs spokesman for the eastern region, said: "This is just the latest in a long line of big seizures of cigarettes and tobacco being made by customs at our east coast ports.

"These are serious criminals who have the sophistication to manufacture concealments in an attempt to evade our controls. They then have the networks in place to distribute their contraband for onward sale.

"The money they then get can fund other smuggling runs or illegal activities."

No arrests have been made in connection with this seizure

HM Customs & Excise has been given a £209 million package by the Government to help combat tobacco smuggling.

This includes nearly 1,000 more customs officers tackling tobacco smuggling, a national network of x-ray scanners, new penalties and sanctions, fiscal marks and tough vehicle seizure policies and a high profile public awareness campaign.